Traffic-management schemes and other road changes that could delay life-saving treatments are being monitored, an ambulance service said.

London Ambulance Service confirmed it is working with traffic teams across the capital to avoid using physical barriers such as bollards on schemes designed to manage the flow of vehicles.

It comes after social media posts showed ambulance crews’ access to streets being blocked by bollards introduced as part of a low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme in Enfield.

One video posted on Twitter showed a crew member struggling to remove a bollard on Grovelands Road in the Fox Lane LTN, Palmers Green, on October 28. He then returned to his vehicle, which had its blue lights flashing.

This Is Local London: An ambulance crew member struggles with a bollardAn ambulance crew member struggles with a bollard

This Is Local London: The crew member walks back to the ambulanceThe crew member walks back to the ambulance

Martyn Rowe, who lives in Lakeside Road, said he had witnessed three incidents in which ambulances had their paths blocked by barriers installed as part of the LTN.

He said one incident, at around 6.45pm on October 26, involved an ambulance with sirens and flashing lights that was stuck in traffic on Aldermans Hill. After speeding up on Lakeside Road, it reached the barrier at the northern end of the street and had to do a three-point turn before finding an alternative route.

In a separate incident the following day, Mr Rowe said an ambulance that did not have its sirens and blue lights turned on had to turn back after reaching the barrier and was then hampered by a lorry that was also performing a three-point turn in the street.

Six streets running parallel to Lakeside Road are also closed to through-traffic as part of the LTN, meaning vehicles must travel a circuitous route down Aldermans Hill and along Green Lanes to reach Fox Lane.

Automatic number-plate recognition cameras, which can allow access for emergency services but fine drivers who pass through, are an alternative to using physical barriers to close roads.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “As the busiest ambulance service in the country, our focus is on achieving the best outcomes for ill and injured patients and ensuring we reach them in response times set by the government.

“Changes to road layouts, traffic management schemes, and road closures all have the potential to impede our response to the most critically ill people and could delay life-saving treatments or conveyance to the nearest emergency department.

“This is why we continue to work with Transport for London (TfL) and local authorities, including Enfield, to ensure emergency vehicle access is properly considered and the impact of any changes monitored.

“We will continue to discuss these issues at the emergency services group, made up of local authority traffic teams and TfL, as well as make representations at a local level where necessary.”

Designed to cut rat-running and pollution, LTNs have been introduced across the capital. Two have been rolled out in Enfield this year – one in Fox Lane and the other in Bowes.

Both have been criticised by residents who warned they could cause longer journeys, traffic jams and a range of other problems.

READ MORE: Angry backlash over low-traffic scheme amid congestion fears

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At a committee meeting in October, Richard Eason, Enfield Council’s healthy streets programme director, told councillors the emergency services did not oppose the final designs for the low-traffic neighbourhood scheme that was introduced in Bowes.

An Enfield Council spokesperson said the emergency services had raised early concerns about access to the LTNs, which led to the use of camera-enforced closures to allow them to access key routes, but they had not objected to the final schemes.

The spokesperson added: “While the Fox Lane scheme has a number of agreed emergency services access points, over the past few weeks residents have expressed concerns to us that the London Ambulance Service should have further access.

“In response to the feedback from residents and to alleviate concerns, Enfield Council has had further discussions with the London Ambulance Service.

“Enfield Council has offered to add a further access point at Conway Road, which has been agreed with the London Ambulance Service. Council officers are now working to replace the existing bollard with a camera-enforced filter point, which will enable the emergency services to pass through unhindered.”